Report: Nebraska's Braylon Heard transferring to Kentucky

Nebraska running back Braylon Heard is transferring to Kentucky, ESPN's Joe Schad reports. Heard rushed for 348 yards last season with the Huskers after rushing for 113 yards during his freshman campaign.

Heard was rumored to be considering a transfer closer to his hometown of Youngstown, Ohio, where he starred at Cardinal Mooney High. That happens to be the same high school new Kentucky coach Mark Stoops attended. Heard reportedly also considered transferring to Pittsburgh.

Nebraska's apparent depth at running back might have played into Heard's decision to land with another program. The Huskers lost standout running back Rex Burkhead, but they return Ameer Abdullah, who will only be a junior this fall after leading Nebraska with 226 carries and 1,137 rushing yards last season. Coach Bo Pelini also has two running backs in his 2013 signing class in Terrell Newby and Adam Taylor.

This is a big get for Kentucky, where Stoops is making headlines with his early recruiting success. Heard will have to sit out the 2013 season but could be a weapon in the Wildcats' backfield in the future with two seasons of eligibility remaining.

Rivals.com rated Heard as a top-five national running back prospect in 2011, and Heard received scholarship offers from the likes of Penn State, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and West Virginia.